Create an e-invoice — free, as ZUGFeRD or Factur-X

Create your e-invoice as a ZUGFeRD or Factur-X file right in your browser: a PDF anyone can open, with the invoice data inside as XML according to EN 16931. Nothing to install, with your logo and letterhead — free and without limits until 31 December 2026.

• Free until 31 December 2026
• After that, 10 invoices a month free
• ZUGFeRD & Factur-X
• BASIC, EN 16931, EXTENDED profiles

To create invoices you need a free account — the invoice carries your company details, and you enter them once instead of on every invoice. Checking an existing file, on the other hand, works without signing up.

Your e-invoice in four steps

Not sure everything is right? You can check the finished file against the EN 16931 rules with the free validator — with the exact rule code for every error. A step-by-step example with a fully worked-out invoice total is in the guide Your first ZUGFeRD invoice.

What you get

Who has to issue e-invoices in Germany — and from when

For invoices between businesses in Germany, the German rules follow a phased timetable:

Invoices to private customers and small-amount invoices up to €250 gross are not affected. Small businesses under § 19 UStG are permanently exempt from issuing e-invoices, but they still have to receive them. What remains allowed until the end of 2027, how the €800,000 is counted and where the pitfalls are: German e-invoicing mandate from 2027.

ZUGFeRD or XRechnung?

Both implement the same standard, EN 16931, and both count as an e-invoice. The difference is the packaging: ZUGFeRD is a PDF with embedded XML — readable by people and machines. XRechnung is pure XML with no visible page and is mainly used for invoicing public authorities.

Which format fits when is explained in XRechnung or ZUGFeRD.

What an e-invoice must contain

The e-invoice changes the form, not the content: the same mandatory details under § 14 (4) UStG (German VAT Act) apply as before — they just now have to be in the XML, not only on the visible page.

• the full name and address of you and your customer;
• your tax number or USt-IdNr.;
• the invoice date and a sequential, unique invoice number;
• the quantity and type of goods or services and the date of supply;
• the net amount broken down by tax rate, the tax rate and the tax amount — or a note on the tax exemption.

The form asks for exactly these fields and checks before generating that everything is there for the tax case you selected. What lies behind each field is shown on the XML structure page.

What it costs

Until 31 December 2026 everything is free and without limits — creating invoices, converting PDFs, checking invoices. We don't ask for payment details; before the beta ends, we will notify all registered users by email. More in E-Rechnung Pro is free until 31 December 2026.

After that, the regular plans apply: Free with 10 documents a month and 10 checks a day, Pro for €19 a month with 200 documents, VIP for €49 a month with no limit. Created and converted invoices count toward the same quota. All details on the pricing page.

What you should know

Frequently asked questions

Is creating invoices really free?

Yes. Without limits until 31 December 2026, then 10 documents a month on the Free plan. You are never charged without placing an explicit order — no payment details are stored at all.

Do I need an account?

To create invoices, yes: your company details, your logo and your number range are stored in the account so you don't have to re-enter them for every invoice. To check an existing file, no — the validator works without signing up.

Which profile should I choose?

EN 16931, unless your customer asks for something else — it fully complies with the standard and is accepted everywhere. BASIC is enough for simple invoices; you only need EXTENDED for details the standard doesn't cover. Details under profiles.

Is the file a valid e-invoice under the German VAT Act?

Formats according to EN 16931 count as e-invoices, including ZUGFeRD from version 2.0.1 — except the MINIMUM and BASIC WL profiles, which we don't offer. Whether your specific invoice meets all the rules is shown by the validator; its content still has to be correct — the details come from you.

I'm a small business (Kleinunternehmer). Do I need this?

You don't have to issue e-invoices, and the exemption has no end date. If customers ask for them anyway, you can: the tax category for § 19 UStG is available in the form, and the exemption note then appears in the XML and on the invoice.

Can I turn an existing PDF into an e-invoice?

Yes, with the conversion in your account: the data is read from the PDF, you confirm it, and then the ZUGFeRD file is created. More under Convert a PDF to ZUGFeRD.

Does the invoice mention E-Rechnung Pro?

On the Free plan and during the beta, yes: the footer carries a small note, „Erstellt mit zugferd.randomstar.org“ — on English invoices it reads “Created with zugferd.randomstar.org”. On the paid plans the note is removed.

What language is the invoice in?

The visible invoice is in German; the Sales template is also available in English. The XML data is language-independent — field names and codes are defined by the standard.

What happens to my data?

Your company details are stored in your account; generated invoices stay on the server for 24 hours and are then deleted. A form draft is only cached in your browser, not on our side.